348 FATTNA AND FLORA OF THE FALKLANDS. 



it. More than once during a spring tide, I was compelled to 

 retire before the icy south wind to the more genial atmosphere of 

 my work-room. I used to enjoy these excursions, however, not- 

 withstanding the physical discomfort ; for the variety and interest 

 to be found in the rock-pools afforded me ceaseless entertainment. 

 At rare intervals, I used to find a worm or a mollusk very similar 

 to, if not identical with a familiar English species ; but this did 

 not happen very often. 



On my return to my work-room from my many trij)S, I had 

 much to attend to — specimens to preserve, or notes to write up ; 

 and I found it important to keep well up to date, for incidents 

 observed when out collecting, or briefly recorded in a pocket-book 

 at the time, soon slip from the memory, although at the time one 

 fondly imagines they will never be forgotten. These notes were 

 usually finished after dinner, so that from 8 p.m. to 9.30, if fine, 

 I could ramble along the shore to the eastward, observe the sun- 

 set, and attempt a forecast of the weather for the next twenty-four 

 hours, which was nearly always incorrect. 



I always kept a small glass on my work-table filled with 

 various species of wild flowers which I collected during these 

 evening rambles, and some were very beautiful. Nearly all these 

 flowers were white, this being due I suppose to the absence of 

 continuous sunshine. Sir Joseph Banks, (') over a century ago, has 

 recorded a similar fact relating to the flowers of Terra del Fuego. 



A few isolated plants, widely separated, and resembling our 

 Cornish sea-pink, were found in flower during December. This 

 plant has also been found near Punta Arenas, in the Straits of 

 Magellan. A form of common dandelion {Leontodon twraxacum) 

 flourished on the cultivated ground in Stanley. It also abounds 

 in similar places at Punta Arenas. Another familiar plant, 

 reminding one of home, was the common furze ( TJlex MuropceusJ, 

 which seemed to take very kindly to these chilly climes. Grreat 

 bushes of it were in full flower soon after my arrival ; the masses 

 of yellow forming a pleasant contrast to the universal greens and 

 greys when viewed from the north shore of the harbour. 



By far the most interesting plant to me was a small species 

 of sun-dew, probably Brosera uniflora, which abounded in 

 certain places near the town. It is of almost microscopical dimen- 



